Stomatosuchus

Stomatosuchus
Temporal range: 100–94 Ma
Cenomanian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Subclass: Diapsida
Infraclass: Archosauromorpha
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Family: Stomatosuchidae
Genus: Stomatosuchus
Species: S. inermis

Stomatosuchus inermis ("Weaponless mouth crocodile") was an enormous 10 metre long eusuchian crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Egypt. Unlike most other crocodyliforms, it is difficult to determine exactly what S. inermis ate. Its flattened skull had a long, flat, lid-like snout, which was lined with small, conical teeth. The mandible may have been toothless and may have supported a pelican-like throat pouch.[1]

Unfortunately the only known specimen, a large skull, which was collected in German paleontologist Ernst Stromer's Egyptian expedition, was obliterated when the Munich Museum was destroyed during an Allied bombing raid in 1944.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ Naish, D. 2002. Fossils explained 34: Crocodilians. Geology Today 2: 71-77.
  2. ^ Stromer, E. (1925) Ergebnisse der Forschungsreisen Prof. E. Stromers in den Wüsten Ägyptens. II. Wirbeltier-Reste der Baharije-Stufe (unterstes Cenoman). 7. Stomatosuchus inermis Stromer, ein schwach bezahnter Krokodilier und 8. Ein Skelettrest des Pristiden Onchopristis numidus Huag sp. Abhandlungen der Königlich Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Physikalische Klasse 30: 1–22.
  3. ^ Sereno, P. C.; and Larsson, H. C. E. (2009). "Cretaceous crocodyliforms from the Sahara". ZooKeys 28 (2009): 1–143. 

External links

Mikko's Phylogeny Archive [1]